From the Eric Miller collection no details known.


6989 GROUP CHAIRMAN'S REPORT FEBRUARY 2008 (EXTRACT OF FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER).

Overall Position
Steady progress was maintained throughout 2007 and has continued into 2008. The majority of the progress has been on the tender, with work on the loco being fill in activity when we have been held up for materials. At the annual meeting Chris reported a healthy balance in the bank so we will be able to sustain our planned activities this year, more of which later.

As previously reported, we needed to decide how best to approach the biggest cost item, the boiler, if we are to avoid a pause in the restoration. We therefore discussed options for the boiler and relative estimated costs and concluded that the best way forward on the boiler refurbishment, given our current fund raising profile and prospects, will be to procure the materials ourselves and hire in boiler smith effort with us assisting. This will be the minimum cost option for us and the work would be under our direct control. If we send the boiler away, the Boiler Shop will understandably not give us a fixed cost, so we would inevitably incur additional cost of their mark up on labour and materials.

To facilitate this approach, it was agreed that we should use the funds we have that are above what is needed for this years work plan, to procure as many boiler materials as we can. Charlie is in touch with a prospective boiler smith.

Planned activity for this year

Tender Frame
Work on the brakes and pipe work is well in hand and we are aiming to have this work done and the frame ready to start building the tank on by the end of May. As you will recall, we already have the metal for the tank and need only to buy some more sheet metal for the remainder of the baffles, angle iron for the frame and hundreds of rivets. We expect to have the tank at least 50% built by the end of the year.

We have located the water scoop column and we hope this will be back with us once the weather improves.

Locomotive
We have ordered the firebox cladding shoulders from the South Devon Railway – known colloquially as “elephant’s ears” as we hope to make a start on the firebox cladding before the end of this year.

Fundraising
The fundraising team has had another great year. However, Chris and Anne Tayler and Miriam and Ken Ashman, have again borne the brunt of manning the shop. Thanks also to those who have filled in on occasion. Chris has good evidence that manning the shop on Wednesdays, particularly in the school holidays, is more lucrative than Sundays. If you can do Wednesdays more easily than you could do Sundays please contact Chris who will be delighted to hear from you.

The sales coach now looks much smarter, thanks to a paint job by John Hatton and a revamped internal layout by Anne and Christine. It is now the envy of the other restoration groups on site.

History of 6989
We now have 52 photographs of 6989 in service, including a new colour one. I add new pictures and narrative to the book on the history of 6989 as we make progress. I am looking into producing what we have as a booklet that can be provided to all Working Party and support group members. I ordered a copy of the boiler record sheets for 6989 from the National Archive, but it appears there is a gap in their records covering 5 of the 6 boilers she carried, including the current one! A photo montage showing some of the work we have done is on the attached leaflet

Working Party
We manage to get a decent turn out pretty well every working Sunday. I also continue to do most Tuesday evenings and the occasional Wednesday. More volunteers would not go amiss so look out those overalls; we can always find you something useful to do.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support

Jeff

Feb 08. The driver's side injector to clack valve feed pipes fitted. Photo Jeff Jackson.

NEWS FROM OUR HON TREASURER AND SALES OFFICER – CHRIS TAYLER – MAY 2008.

We are now well into 2008 and unfortunately the bad weather at the start of the season saw a drop in the number of visitors to the centre, reflecting adversely on the income earned by the sales department.

With the improved weather and upturn in visitors, income should again be on the up. This will only happen if we can open the shop on as many open days as possible. Several visitors and members have said they would be willing to help, but these offers have sadly come nothing.

Because of lack of resource in the B.R.C. workshops, it has been necessary to outshop various items of the brake rigging etc, at a cost of approx £10K. To keep up the momentum we need more volunteers on the fund raising and sales teams.

Can you help? Will you help?

If you can help in any way please ring me ‘Chris Tayler’ on 0208 292 6043,e mail chris.tayler@blueyonder.co.uk or leave a message via the office at the B.R.C.Centre
On 01296 655720.

For those who would like to support the project on a more regular basis there are our two support clubs, details on the Support Group tab.